June 23: Vance says US now seeking to ‘build a long-term settlement’ for Mideast peace

Senior Iranian official confirms Tehran agreeing to ceasefire

A senior Iranian official confirms to the Reuters news agency that Iran is agreeing to a Qatar-mediated, US-proposed ceasefire with Israel.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran’s agreement to the US proposal for a ceasefire during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations tells Reuters.

The call took place after Iran’s strikes on a US air base in Qatar on Monday, the official says.

The phone call came after US President Donald Trump told Qatar’s emir that Israel had agreed to the ceasefire and asked for Doha’s help persuading Tehran to also agree, the official says.

Israel and Tehran have not officially confirmed the ceasefire since Trump announced the deal.

Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli appears to confirm the ceasefire, thanking Trump and Netanyahu “for making a bold decision that will be remembered in the annals of history as a chapter of faith, courage, and moral clarity” in a post on X

Shortly before the ceasefire announcement, an Iranian official told CNN that Iran had not received any proposals.

Sirens sound in northern Israel due to suspected drone infiltration

Israelis take cover in a public shelter in Tel Aviv as a siren warns of incoming ballistic missiles fired from Iran on June 23, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/FLASH90)

Sirens sound in the Golan region of northern Israel due to a suspected drone infiltration.

Iran has launched more than 1,000 drones at Israel during the war. The vast majority have been intercepted by the Israeli Air Force and Navy. One drone hit a home in Beit She’an over the weekend.

IDF issues another evacuation warning for parts of Tehran

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet flying over central Israel, June 23, 2025. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

The IDF issues an evacuation warning for two areas in Tehran, shortly after a similar warning for residents of another part of the Iranian capital.

In a Farsi-language statement, the IDF warns residents of Tehran’s District 6 and the Mehran neighborhood to evacuate due to impending Israeli military activity.

The IDF warned residents of Tehran’s District 7 to evacuate about two hours ago. Iranian media have reported explosions in the area of the capital since then.

The latest warning comes shortly after US President Donald Trump said that Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire that will start to take effect in about six hours.

🔴 هشدار فوری به کلیه افراد مستقر در نواحی مهران و منطقه ۶ در تهران بر اساس ناحیه مشخص شده قرمز رنگ بر روی نقشه ضمیمه

⭕️ ارتش اسرائیل همچنان که در روزهای اخیر در سراسر ایران برای حمله به زیرساخت های نظامی رژیم ایران اقدام کرده است، در این نواحی فعالیت خواهد نمود.

⭕️ شهروندان… pic.twitter.com/QFMOhxiUgn

— ارتش دفاعی اسرائیل | IDF Farsi (@IDFFarsi) June 23, 2025

Vance says Iran can no longer build nuclear weapon

Vice President JD Vance speaks during a visit to the the Wilshire Federal Building, June 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

US Vice President JD Vance says Iran is no longer able to build a nuclear weapon after Sunday’s strike against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites.

“Iran was very close to having a nuclear weapon… Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have because we destroyed it,” Vance tells Fox News in an interview.

Vance says the next six hours will see Israel and Iran finalizing their strikes against one another.

“Tomorrow really is a new day — the end of the 12-day war, the end of the Iranian nuclear program, and I really do believe the beginning of something very big for peace in the Middle East,” Vance says.

With Iran’s nuclear program “obliterated” the US hopes that Tehran will not try to rebuild it, Vance says.

The US now seeks to “build a long-term settlement… where you can have peace in the region,” Vance adds.

If Iran wants to build nuclear weapons in the future, it will have to deal with the US military again, he warns.

Explosions reported in Tehran after Israeli evacuation order

A video purports to show an Israeli strike in Tehran on June 23, 2025 (Video screenshot)

Explosions are heard in Tehran shortly after the IDF issued an evacuation order for the city’s District 7.

Iran’s Fars news agency reports blasts in the northeast part of the city, where the district is located.

The explosions come as US President Donald Trump announces that Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire that will begin to take effect in about six hours.

Trump announces that Israel and Iran have agreed to ceasefire

US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon arriving at the White House, June 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

US President Donald Trump announces that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire.”

In a Truth Social post announcing the development, Trump says the ceasefire will start to take effect in about six hours, after Israel and Iran have “wound down” their final strikes against each other.

Trump says the ceasefire will come fully into place in 24 hours, bringing about an “official end to the 12-day war.”

“Iran will start the ceasefire and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the ceasefire and, upon the 24th Hour, an official end to the 12 Day War,” he adds.

It’s not completely clear from Trump’s post when each side side will begin holding its fire.

“I would like to congratulate both countries —- Israel and Iran —- on having the stamina, courage, and intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘the 12-Day war,'” Trump writes.

( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
( Donald J. Trump – Jun 23, 2025, 6:02 PM ET )

CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran… pic.twitter.com/lWdRKVoZGI

— Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 TRUTH POSTS (@TruthTrumpPosts) June 23, 2025

Iran issues evacuation order to residents of Ramat Gan

Residents seeking shelter from Iranian missile attacks in Ramat Gan's Bialik Light Rail Station, June 16, 2025. (Ariela Karmel)

Iran issues an evacuation order to residents of Ramat Gan, next to Tel Aviv, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.

The statement says in Hebrew that Iranian forces will be operating in the area and that residents should leave for their safety.

The warning includes a map with a highlighted area that Iran says should be evacuated.

The map and the statement’s language appear to mimic warnings that Israel issues to Iranians ahead of Israeli operations.

Following the Israeli evacuation orders, Iran has released similar warnings to Israelis several times. Iran’s latest warning comes immediately after Israel issued an evacuation order to residents of Tehran’s District 7.

🔴 Iran's warns Israeli settlers to urgently evacuate the Ramat Gan region#BREAKING #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/q0niGigjZW

— Mehr News Agency (@MehrnewsCom) June 23, 2025

Qatar says response to Iran attack is a ‘sovereign’ issue

People film projectiles over Doha in Qatar on June 23, 2025, amid an Iranian attack on the largest US military base in the region.(AFP)

Qatar says that its response to the Iranian attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar is a “sovereign” issue, after Iran attacked the base in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“There are deep ties between the two states and the two nations, but the attack undoubtedly calls for a genuine meeting and a clear stance,” foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari says in a press conference, referring to Qatar and Iran.

Iran ready to respond again in case of more action by US, foreign minister says

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, April 18, 2025. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via Reuters)

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says that Tehran’s attack on US military base Al Udeid in Qatar came in response to the US “aggression against Iran’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

He says Iran will be ready to respond again in case of further action by the US, according to a statement posted by the Iranian foreign ministry’s account on Telegram.

Qatar reopens airspace after brief suspension

This frame grab take from AFPTV footage shows the remnants of an Iranian missile intercepted over Qatar, as it lies on a pavement near a fence on June 23, 2025. (Photo by AFPTV / AFP)

Qatar reopens its airspace after a brief suspension, its civil aviation authority says, following a missile attack by Iran on an American air base in Qatar that caused no injuries.

Bahrain and Kuwait reopened their respective airspace earlier today.

British government also lifts its shelter-in-place warning to British citizens in Qatar, the British government website says.

IDF warns residents of Tehran district to leave ahead of airstrikes

Footage posted to social media shows the aftermath of Israeli strikes in Tehran on June 23, 2025 (X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

The IDF issues an “urgent warning” to residents of Tehran’s District 7, ahead of Israeli airstrikes.

“The Israeli army will be operating in this area, as it has been doing throughout Iran in recent days to strike the Iranian regime’s military infrastructure. For your safety and health, we ask you to immediately leave the area marked on the map and not approach it in the coming hours,” says IDF Persian-language spokesman Master Sgt. (res.) Kamal Penhasi in a post on X.

🔴 هشدار فوری به کلیه افراد مستقر در منطقه 7 تهران بر اساس ناحیه مشخص شده قرمز رنگ بر روی نقشه ضمیمه

⭕️ ارتش اسرائیل همچنان که در روزهای اخیر در سراسر ایران برای حمله به زیرساخت های نظامی رژیم ایران اقدام کرده است، در این ناحیه فعالیت خواهد نمود.

⭕️ شهروندان گرامی، بمنظور امنیت… pic.twitter.com/etjfe85KlI

— ارتش دفاعی اسرائیل | IDF Farsi (@IDFFarsi) June 23, 2025

Trump said looking to end war with Iran, plans to urge Netanyahu to fall in line

US President Donald Trump’s goal is to end the war with Iran following today’s retaliation, and he intends to express this message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Axios news site reports, citing a senior White House official.

“We want a deal and we don’t want any more war,” the official is quoted as having said.

Trump mocks ‘very weak’ Iran retaliation, says he’ll urge Israel to ‘proceed to peace’

US President Donald Trump mocks Iran’s “very weak response” to the “obliteration of its nuclear facilities… which we expected and have very effectively countered.”

He writes on Truth Social that the Iran attack on the US airbase in Qatar consisted of 14 missiles — 13 of which were shot down while one was allowed to land “because it was headed in a non-threatening direction.”

Trump says no Americans were harmed in the attack and that “hardly any damage was done.”

“They’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” Trump writes.

“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost and nobody to be injured,” Trump says.

“Perhaps Iran can now proceed to peace and harmony in the region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same,” he adds.

In a subsequent post, Trump thanks the Qatari emir for “all that he has done in seeking peace for the region.”

He also notes that no Qatari citizens were killed or wounded in the Iranian attack.

In a third post, Trump declares, “CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!”

US embassy in Qatar lifts shelter-in-place order for American citizens after Iran attack

The US embassy in Qatar has lifted the shelter-in-place order to Americans in the country that was in effect earlier today.

The decision indicates that the US believes that the Iranian retaliation is over for now.

The embassy says on its website that it will reopen tomorrow.

IDF says it finished another wave of airstrikes in western Iran targeting missile infrastructure

The Israeli Air Force completed another wave of strikes in western Iran, targeting Iranian ballistic missile infrastructure, the IDF says.

According to the military, IAF fighter jets hit underground military infrastructure used by the IRGC to store and launch missiles.

Additionally, a strike earlier today hit an air defense system, the IDF adds, attaching footage of the strike.

מטוסי קרב השלימו בשעות האחרונות גל תקיפות במערב איראן, בהכוונה מדויקת של אמ״ן.
במסגרת התקיפות, הותקפו תשתיות צבאיות תת-קרקעיות ששימשו את משמרות המהפכה לאחסון טילים ומשגרי טילים.

בנוסף, מטוסי קרב תקפו והשמידו מוקדם יותר היום משגר טילים המיועדים לפגיעה בכלי טיס של כוחותינו. pic.twitter.com/rXvxw5vX1Y

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 23, 2025

Netanyahu says he’ll be able to secure Saudi normalization without a Palestinian state

Israel is “very close to achieving its two goals” against Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells the friendly Channel 14, beginning with “removing the nuclear and ballistic missile threat.”

Netanyahu says he is constantly reviewing whether the conditions are in place to end the war with Iran.

“There was a very serious strike” on the Fordo nuclear facility and “we are completing what we need to complete,” Netanyahu says.

Netanyahu stresses that he and US President Donald Trump were aware beforehand of the operations both countries carried out against Iran.

“I didn’t surprise him. He was fully updated on our action. And he didn’t surprise me. I was fully updated on his action,” Netanyahu says.

Netanyahu says he will figure out a way to make peace with Saudi Arabia without agreeing to a Palestinian state. Riyadh has repeatedly insisted that it will not agree to normalize ties with Israel absent the creation of a pathway for a two-state solution.

“I think our strength is the key to everything,” he explains, adding that he speaks with Arab leaders, and that is what leaves an impression on them.

Bahrain and Kuwait say they’ve reopened their airspace following Iran attack in Qatar

Authorities in Bahrain and Kuwait issue statements saying they’ve reopened their respective airspace following Iran’s attack in Qatar.

IDF says it dropped 200 munitions in five waves of strikes against Iran

Since this morning, the Israeli Air Force has carried out five major waves of strikes in Iran, the IDF says.

Some 200 munitions were dropped in the strikes, it adds.

Khamenei in first comment after Iran retaliation: We will respond to any aggression

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issues his first statement since Tehran’s retaliatory strike against a US base in Qatar.

Khamenei says Iran was not the party that started this conflict and will not accept being targeted by any party under any circumstances.

“We will not surrender to any aggression. This is the logic behind the Iranian nation,” reads a post on the 86-year-old’s X account.

ما تعرّض به کسی نکردیم
و به هیچ وجه تعرّض احدی را هم قبول نمیکنیم
و تسلیم تعرّض هیچ کس نمیشویم؛
این منطق ملّت ایران است.#بشارت_فتح #الله_اکبر pic.twitter.com/gMKCAyf2mc

— KHAMENEI.IR | فارسی 🇮🇷 (@Khamenei_fa) June 23, 2025

Witkoff in contact with Iran after US strikes, Khameini’s hiding is stalling talks — CNN

US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff has remained in touch with Iranian counterparts since the American strikes on Iran on Sunday, but is finding it increasingly difficult to hold effective communications, due to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei being in hiding, CNN reports.

According to the report, US officials believe Khamenei must sign off on any major diplomatic decision.

As a result, both direct and indirect communications between the US and Iran have largely stalled, two unnamed sources tell CNN.

Air Haifa says its readying to operate outbound flights to Cyprus

Israeli low-cost carrier Air Haifa. (Courtesy)

Air Haifa says it is preparing to start operating outbound flights departing from Haifa airport in the north of the country to Larnaca, Cyprus.

The carrier operates nine daily repatriation flights from Larnaca to Haifa airport, as part of a national effort to return citizens to Israel quickly and safely. The carrier says additional flights have opened for sale on its website for the upcoming Saturday through Monday, June 28 to 30. One-way tickets are selling for $360, not including luggage.

Separately, Israeli carrier Arkia announces plans to continue to operate daily repatriation flights through June 29 to bring Israelis back from the following destinations: Paris, Vienna, Batumi, Tbilisi, Barcelona, ​​Athens, Larnaca, Dubai, and Rome. One-way tickets are sold via Arkia’s website.

Additionally, Arkia on Monday started to operate flights departing from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport to Paris, Vienna, Athens, and Larnaca, with a limit of only 50 passengers per plane, as mandated by a new outbound policy.

‘Spiral of chaos’ must end after Iran targets US base in Qatar, Macron says

French President Emmanuel Macron calls for a return to diplomacy to end what he calls “the spiral of chaos” after Iran targeted a US military base in Qatar.

Before Macron’s social media post on X, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France 2 television that the missile strikes, which had not caused any casualties, were a “dangerous escalation” and he urged all sides to show restraint.

Iran will continue its retaliation in response to US attacks, senior Iranian official says

Iran will continue its retaliation in response to the United States’ attacks, a senior Iranian official tells Reuters.

He says Iran has the necessary rationality to begin diplomacy after punishing the aggressor, adding if the US seeks negotiations, Israeli and US attacks must stop.

US House Speaker Johnson says it is not time to consider war powers resolution

US House Speaker Mike Johnson dismisses efforts by lawmakers to advance a measure to check President Donald Trump’s use of military force against Iran, after Tehran said it carried out a missile attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar.

Asked whether he would allow the House of Representatives to vote on a bipartisan resolution, Johnson told reporters: “I don’t think this is an appropriate time for war powers resolution, and I don’t think it’s necessary.”

Republican Representative Thomas Massie and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna introduced their resolution days before Trump ordered US strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday and have since claimed that the president’s actions require congressional authorization.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine has introduced a similar resolution in the Senate that he said lawmakers could vote on as early as this week.

“Our War Powers Resolution has 57 cosponsors. Whether you like it or not, Congress will be voting on US hostilities in Iran,” Massie says in a post on the social media platform X earlier on Monday.

Johnson and other Republicans insist that Trump had the authority to take unilateral action against Iran to eliminate a potential nuclear threat to the United States and other countries.

“The President made an evaluation that the danger was imminent enough to take his authority as commander in chief and make that happen,” the speaker says.

PA condemns Iranian missile attack on US airbase in Qatar

The Palestinian Authority condemns the Iranian missile attack that targeted a US airbase in Qatar this evening.

“The State of Palestine considered this attack a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the sisterly State of Qatar and affirms its support for the State of Qatar and its brotherly people,” says a statement posted on the PA’s official Wafa news site.

UAE, Saudi Arabia condemn Iranian strike on US base in Qatar

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry communications director issues a statement condemning this evening’s Iranian strike on the US base in Qatar.

UAE Condemns in the Strongest Terms Targeting of Qatar

The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the targeting of Al Udeid Air Base in the State of Qatar by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, considering it a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Qatar and…

— Afra Al Hameli (@AfraMalHameli) June 23, 2025

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry also follows suit.

UAE Condemns in the Strongest Terms Targeting of Qatar

The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the targeting of Al Udeid Air Base in the State of Qatar by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, considering it a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Qatar and…

— Afra Al Hameli (@AfraMalHameli) June 23, 2025

#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation, in the strongest terms possible, the aggression launched by Iran against the brotherly State of Qatar, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of good… pic.twitter.com/XHueCFXRcc

— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) June 23, 2025

In first post since Iran retaliation, Trump tears into media over coverage of US strike

In his first post since Iran’s retaliation against a US base in Qatar, US President Donald Trump blasts the media for allegedly claiming that Iran’s nuclear sites were not destroyed in the US strike over the weekend.

“The sites that we hit in Iran were totally destroyed, and everyone knows it. Only the Fake News would say anything different in order to try and demean, as much as possible — And even they say they were ‘pretty well destroyed!’” Trump writes on Truth Social.

The post makes no mention of the Iranian retaliation.

No Iranian attack detected at any US base other than Qatar, US military official says

There was no Iranian attack detected at any US military base other than in Qatar, a US military official tells Reuters.

There was no impact on the US Al Udeid airbase in Qatar, the official says.

Military sources told Reuters on Monday that air defense systems were activated in the US Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq for fear of a potential attack.

US official confirms Iran attack on base in Qatar, says no casualties reported

A US defense official confirms to reporters that the Al Ubeid Air Base in Qatar was attacked by short-range and medium-range Iranian ballistic missiles.

The official says that there are no immediate reports of US casualties, adding that the US is closely monitoring the situation.

Another US official says none of the Iranian missiles even landed on the US base, indicating that they were all intercepted or missed their intended target.

Kuwait shuts airspace amid escalation in the region

Kuwait has shut down its airspace starting Monday and until further notice, in light of regional developments, the Kuwaiti news agency Kuna reports.

The suspension follows a closure of airspace by Qatar and Bahrain, as Iran attacked the Al Udeid US military base in Doha.

The Gulf is home to several US military bases.

Netanyahu to convene security cabinet meeting tonight in Jerusalem

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet in Jerusalem tonight at 10:00 p.m. to discuss the ongoing campaign against Iran, one of the ministers’ offices tells The Times of Israel.

The forum meets as Iran opens up an attack on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq.

Israel reportedly tells Iran it’s aiming to end war within coming days

Israel has sent messages to Iran that Jerusalem is aiming for the air and missile war between the sides to end in days, Channel 12 reports.

Senior Israeli officials tell the Israeli outlet that Israel is close to achieving its war aims, but that Israel still has options to escalate in the form of thousands of targets that will undermine Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Israel sees Lebanon as its model for ensuring that Iran does not try to rebuild its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, according to the report. Since Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November, Israel has struck repeatedly at Hezbollah sites and operatives in order to ensure that the Iran-backed group is not able to carry out attacks or rebuild infrastructure in the near term.

IRGC confirms targeting US base in Qatar in retaliation for strike on its nuclear sites

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issues a statement confirming that it had launched a missile attack against Washington’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in response to the strike on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

Bahrain says it has shut airspace temporarily after Iranian attack on US airbase in Qatar

Bahrain says that it has shut down its airspace temporarily as a “precaution” after Iran attacked the Al Udeid US military base in Doha.

Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, whose area of responsibility includes the Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

Iran said to notify Qatar ahead of strike on US air base

Iran coordinated its attack on the US air base in Qatar with Qatari officials, according to the New York Times.

Tehran “gave advanced notice that attacks were coming to minimize casualties,” reports the newspaper, citing three Iranian officials with knowledge of the plans.

Iran desired to symbolically retaliate for the US strikes on its nuclear sites on Sunday, but also sought to ensure that both sides could easily deescalate, similar to a 2020 case when Iran notified Iraq before firing missiles at an American base in Iraq in response to the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, the officials say in the report.

The Trump administration was also made aware ahead of time that the attack would be taking place, a source familiar with the matter tells Axios.

IAF completes wave of strikes in western Iran

The Israeli Air Force completed an “extensive” wave of strikes with 15 fighter jets in western Iran a short while ago, targeting Iranian underground military infrastructure, a missile storage facility, and a drone storage facility, the IDF says.

Additionally, the military says an IAF drone hit a ballistic missile launcher in central Iran that was primed for an attack on Israel.

צה״ל השלים גל תקיפות במערב איראן: הותקפו אתרים לאחסון טילים וכלי טיס בלתי מאוישים

כ-15 מטוסי קרב השלימו לפני זמן קצר גל תקיפות נרחב במערב איראן.
בהכוונת אמ״ן, הותקפו תשתיות צבאיות תת-קרקעיות, אתר לאחסון טילים ואתר לאחסון כלי טיס בלתי מאוישים של הכוחות הצבאיים האיראניים.

בנוסף,… pic.twitter.com/H7Qmipjf0C

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) June 23, 2025

IDF: We’ll continue striking any component of Iran regime involved in threatening Israel

After the Israeli Air Force’s extensive strikes on Iranian military and regime targets in Tehran today, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says, “Our message in these strikes is clear: We have many more strike plans.”

“We will know to continue to strike any component of the regime that is part of the plans that threaten Israel,” he says.

Qatar says no one injured in Iranian attack on base housing US troops

Air defense rockets rise to intercept Iranian missile fire on Qatar, June 23, 2025. (X screenshots; used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson says no one was injured in the Iranian attack on the Al Udeid Air Base near Doha.

The base, which houses thousands of US troops was evacuated ahead of time, Majed al-Ansari says, adding that the missiles were intercepted by Qatari air defenses.

The foreign ministry spokesperson adds that Qatar condemns the attack in a lengthy English statement that was released minutes after the attack, indicating that it was prepared ahead of time.

Al-Ansari warns against continued escalation in the region, urging diplomacy to end the ongoing conflict.

UAE airspace is closed based on flight paths and air traffic control audio, FlightRadar says

United Arab Emirates airspace is currently closed based on flight paths and air traffic control audio, according to a post by FlightRadar on X.

The post comes after Qatar shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken during developments in the region and a report in Axios, citing an Israeli official, that Iran had launched 10 missiles toward US bases in Qatar.

Germany against suspending EU deal with Israel, official says

Germany does not support calls to suspend a pact governing Israel’s relations with the European Union, a German government official says, highlighting divisions within the bloc.

There has been deepening concern in European capitals in recent months about Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the enclave.

Spain’s foreign minister said earlier today he would ask the EU council to approve an immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association agreement in protest over what he called human rights violations in Gaza.

The bloc’s diplomatic service also said on Friday that Israel may have breached its human rights obligations in Gaza and the West Bank under the deal. Israel rejected that report as a “moral and methodological failure.”

“Our position is very clear — we do not support either a suspension or a partial suspension,” the official says at a German government briefing.

As such an upcoming EU summit will involve intense discussions about Iran and Israel but is unlikely to result in any decisions, the official says.

Germany has long followed a policy of special responsibility for Israel, known as the Staatsraeson, due to the legacy of the Nazi Holocaust, and been much slower during the current conflict to criticize Israel for its conduct than other EU states have been.

At missile impact site, PM says efforts underway for swift aid and rebuilding

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of an Iranian missile impact in Rishon Lezion on June 23, 2025. (Amos Ben Gershom / GPO)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of an Iranian missile impact in Rishon Lezion earlier today, where he met with residents whose homes were damaged by the attack, says the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement.

“We’re making a tremendous effort, first and foremost to help generously in every way we can—and most importantly, to cut through bureaucracy quickly, so that we can begin rebuilding here in full glory,” Netanyahu said at the site, according to the PMO.

The premier praised the residents and local officials, calling them “the pride of Israel and a model among the nations,” the PMO adds.

Netanyahu tours air force’s ‘Arrow’ unit responsible for intercepting Iranian missiles

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with members of the Israeli Air Force’s “Arrow” unit earlier today, the Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement.

The Arrow unit plays a crucial role in the current conflict with Iran by defending Israeli citizens and infrastructure from Iran’s long‑range ballistic missile barrages. Arrow interceptors are reportedly low on stock, though Netanyahu and IDF officials have not voiced concern.

Netanyahu was accompanied by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, and the Commander of the Air Defense Array of the Arrow unit.

The premier “received an operational briefing” at the start of the visit, before entering the interception command center, where he was “presented [with] the unit’s missions and the operational challenges it faces,” the statement reads.

Netanyahu praised the soldiers and officers of the unit “for their work and their contribution to the defense of Israel’s skies,” adds the PMO.

Iran said to launch missiles at US bases in Qatar and Iraq in retaliation for strike on nuclear sites

Iran has launched 10 missiles at a US base in Qatar and another missile at a US base in Iraq in retaliation for Washington’s strikes on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

Sounds of several explosions are heard over the Qatari capital Doha.

NOW: 🚨 Doha, Qatar. pic.twitter.com/HB6e0yQ4T3

— Iran Military ( Commentary) (@IranMilitary_ir) June 23, 2025

US reportedly tracking ‘credible’ threat to its troops in Mideast as Iran readies to retaliate

Iran is moving missile launchers into place for a potential attack on US forces in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed US officials.

One of the officials says the Pentagon is tracking a “credible” threat to US bases in the region.

Escalating Hormuz tensions drive up Middle East war risk insurance costs, sources say

War risk insurance premiums for shipments to the Middle East Gulf have jumped to 0.5% from around 0.2-0.3% a week ago after US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and growing risks to the critical Strait of Hormuz, insurance sources say.

The cost of a seven-day voyage is based on the value of the ship and the increase will add tens of thousands of dollars each day in additional costs.

While underwriters typically price risk and rates individually, the current 0.5% level reflected rates on Monday, the sources tell Reuters and The Insurer, which is part of the Thomson Reuters group.

Macron says US strikes on Iran not legal, but France shares objective of preventing nuclear Iran

French President Emmanuel Macron says there was no “framework of legality” regarding the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, adding that any regime change in the country should be a result of the will of the people, not of bombs.

“There is no framework of legality in these strikes, even if France shares the objective not to see Iran acquire nuclear weapons,” he tells reporters during a press conference in Oslo, alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.

“I believe in the sovereignty of peoples and territorial integrity… so I don’t think we can take the place of a people to change its leaders,” Macron adds.

Syria interior ministry announces arrests over Damascus church attack

Syria’s interior ministry says that authorities have arrested several suspects in connection with a suicide attack on a church the day before, with the minister saying the operation targeted cells affiliated with the Islamic State group.

A ministry statement reported the arrest of “a number of criminals involved in the attack” during a security operation near Damascus, while Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the operation targeted “positions of terrorist cells linked to the Daesh group,” using the Arabic acronym for ISIS.

Edelstein says Israeli attack on Iran might not have gone ahead had compromise not been reached on Haredi draft crisis

Failing to secure a compromise with the ultra-Orthodox parties on military service for yeshiva students could have prevented Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear program, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein indicates.

During a radio interview with the Kan public broadcaster, the veteran Likud lawmaker states, “If the bill to dissolve the Knesset had passed, it is not certain that we would have attacked Iran.”

Early in the morning of June 12, lawmakers voted against a bill to dissolve the Knesset in its preliminary reading, after Edelstein and Haredi lawmakers reached an agreement calling for a softened version of a bill regulating mandatory enlistment figures within the ultra-Orthodox community and punishing draft dodgers.

Only a day later, Israel launched its opening salvo against Iran, sparking the current conflict.

While the leadership of the Haredi United Torah Judaism party was unaware of the pending attack, both Edelstein and Shas chairman Aryeh Deri had been informed in advance, which contributed to their willingness to reach an accommodation on the enlistment issue.

BP and others pulling staff from Iraq oilfields, output steady

BP, Eni and TotalEnergies have begun evacuating foreign personnel from Iraqi oilfields where they operate, state-run Basra Oil Company says.

Output from Iraq’s southern oilfields for the time being remains unchanged with exports averaging 3.32 million barrels per day, two oil officials told Reuters.

The measures follow US military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and clashes between Israel and Iran, which borders Iraq.

Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah had warned it would resume attacks on US troops in the region if the United States intervenes in Iran.

“The companies operating in Basra Oil Company fields… have temporarily evacuated some foreign personnel, particularly BP, which operates in the Rumaila field,” Basra Oil says in a statement.

It adds that the move will not affect production.

BP is not immediately available to comment.

Italy’s Eni, which has a technical service contract at Iraq’s Zubair oil and gas field, has reduced staff to 98 from 260, Basra Oil said, adding the workers remained in the country were working normally with local employees.

A spokesman had previously said Eni had reduced personnel as a precautionary move and was monitoring the situation in the region.

France’s TotalEnergies has evacuated 60% of its personnel, but this did not affect operations, Basra Oil says. The company is not immediately available to comment.

Work continued smoothly at the West Qurna/1, Siba, and Faihaa fields which are managed by Chinese companies, who did not reduce their staff, Basra Oil says.

Activities conducted by Russia’s Lukoil are also not impacted.

Chevron and Shell, which also operate in Iraq, decline to comment.

Maersk shipping firm says it is still possible to sail through Strait of Hormuz

The Maersk shipping company continues to deem it possible to sail through the Strait of Hormuz, but it has contingency plans in place if anything were to change in the near future, it says in a statement.

Qatar shuts down airspace temporarily amid regional crisis

Qatar says it has shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken amid developments in the region, a statement by the Qatari foreign ministry says on X.

It says the move comes to ensure safety of residents and visitors.

The shutdown of Qatari airspace comes as Iran repeated threats to retaliate against the United States after strikes on its nuclear sites.

EU foreign policy chief says she’ll discuss with Israel bloc’s review of alleged rights violations

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says she will discuss with Israel a review conducted by the EU’s diplomatic service regarding Jerusalem’s human rights obligations.

The EU’s diplomatic service said on Friday there were indications Israel had breached its human rights obligations under the terms of a pact governing its ties with the bloc.

“I will now address the results of the review with Israel,” says Kallas at a news conference.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has blasted the EU report as a “moral and methodological failure.”

Israeli strike on Tehran’s Evin prison unacceptable, France says

France’s foreign minister accuses Israel of putting two of its citizens in danger after an airstrike hit an entrance to Tehran’s Evin prison, adding that all strikes have to stop immediately to open the door to renewed diplomacy.

Israel struck Tehran’s most notorious jail for political prisoners, but also where a number of foreign nationals are held, in a potent demonstration that it was expanding its targets beyond military and nuclear sites to aim squarely at the pillars of Iran’s ruling system.

“The strike targeting Evin prison in Tehran, put our citizens Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who have been held for three years, in danger. It is unacceptable,” Jean-Noel Barrot says on social media platform X.

China’s foreign minister says Israeli, US attacks on Iran set ‘bad precedent’

Israeli and US attacks on Iran “sent wrong signals to the world and set a bad precedent,” China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi says.

All parties to the conflict should take measures to cool down the situation and return to dialogue and negotiation, he says.

Wang makes the remarks during a meeting with former British prime minister Tony Blair in Beijing, according to a statement released by his ministry.

Police arrest 3 Bat Yam residents for barring people from shelters during Iran attacks

Police say they have arrested three Bat Yam residents for blocking people from entering shelters during Iranian missile attacks. All three were brought in for questioning at the Bat Yam police station, law enforcement says.

One of the suspects detained had allegedly blocked a woman and her elderly parents from entering an apartment building’s shelter because they didn’t reside in the complex.

Police also arrested a man who reportedly attacked a woman after she tried to bring her dog and cat into a public shelter the evening of June 14. She was hospitalized with a broken nose.

The woman filed a complaint against the man and his son, who had also joined in the beating, according to a Channel 12 report.

Preventing someone from taking cover in a shelter is a criminal offense, punishable with a year of jail time or a fine. Many such incidents have been reported across the country since the outbreak of war with Iran 11 days ago.

Yesterday, an Arab Israeli resident of Haifa told the city’s local 107.5FM radio station that she was blocked from taking cover in a public shelter in a Haredi-majority neighborhood, during a daytime missile barrage that interrupted her morning commute to work.

She stopped her car in the middle of the road and followed a crowd of people running toward a shelter in a nearby building, she said, but was denied entry by a resident near the door, and she remained outside as the sirens blared.

Police similarly detained a resident of Petah Tikva on Friday, after he was caught on film denying someone entry to a shelter while dressed in a phony sheriff’s costume, consisting of a vest and baseball cap, Hebrew outlets reported last week.

Schools and workplaces to remain closed, gatherings banned through Tuesday night — IDF

Following a fresh assessment, the IDF Home Front Command says there are no changes to guidelines for civilians amid the war with Iran.

All gatherings are prohibited, and schools will not open. Workplaces are also closed, apart from those deemed essential.

The guidelines remain in effect until Tuesday night, when the Home Front Command will conduct another assessment.

IDF confirms carrying out strikes against Hezbollah military sites north of Litani

The IDF confirms carrying out strikes in Lebanon a short while ago, saying it targeted Hezbollah military sites north of the Litani River.

The sites included rocket launchers and weapon depots, according to the IDF.

“The presence of weapons and Hezbollah’s activity constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the military adds.

#عاجل – مشاهد من الغارات الإسرائيلية على جنوبي لبنان الآن https://t.co/diuMbH1zUZ pic.twitter.com/xaD5GpwSYS

— Annahar النهار (@Annahar) June 23, 2025

Samir Abu Said sworn in at Knesset, replacing Youssef Atauna as part of Hadash-Ta’al rotation deal

Incoming Hadash-Ta’al MK Samir Abu Said is sworn in at the Knesset plenum, replacing MK Youssef Atauna, who submitted his resignation last week as part of a rotation agreement between the majority-Arab Hadash and Ta’al factions.

Flight carrying British nationals has left Israel, UK foreign office says

Britain’s foreign office says that a Royal Air Force flight carrying British nationals has left Ben Gurion Airport this afternoon.

“Today’s flight will bring British nationals and their dependents safely back to the UK,” Foreign Minister David Lammy says in a statement.

Education minister reverses decision to sanction Haredi schools that stayed open in violation of IDF’s Iran war guidelines

Education Minister Yoav Kisch reverses a decision to shut down dozens of ultra-Orthodox schools operating in violation of the IDF’s Home Front Command guidelines during the war with Iran following outcry from Haredi lawmakers.

On Monday morning, the ministry announced that “immediate steps” had been ordered against some 80 schools, which would be shuttered and their funding halted because their continued operation posed a safety threat.

The decision was immediately panned by Haim Biton (Shas), a minister within the Education Ministry, who said the schools would receive a “final warning” rather than facing sanctions.

After initially standing behind his decision, Kisch’s office says that the closure orders announced earlier in the day would be converted into warnings.

IDF warns Tehran residents to stay away from military sites ahead of coming strikes

The IDF issues a warning to residents of Tehran to stay away from Iranian military facilities, ahead of Israeli strikes.

“Dear citizens of Tehran, in the coming days, the Israeli army will continue its strikes against military targets in the Tehran area. For your personal safety, we ask that you stay away from weapons production centers, military headquarters, and security institutions affiliated with the regime,” the IDF says on its Persian-language X account.

🔴 هشدار فوری با ساکنین تهران

⭕️ شهروندان عزیز تهران, در روزهای آینده، ارتش اسرائیل به حملات خود علیه اهداف نظامی در منطقه تهران ادامه خواهد داد.

⭕️ برای حفظ امنیت شخصی‌تان، از شما درخواست می‌کنیم که از مراکز تولید تسلیحات، مقرهای نظامی و نهادهای امنیتی وابسته به رژیم فاصله… pic.twitter.com/mBLYZ4jtZO

— ارتش دفاعی اسرائیل | IDF Farsi (@IDFFarsi) June 23, 2025

US strikes on Iran did not violate international law, NATO’s Rutte says

US strikes on Iran over the weekend did not violate international law, NATO chief Mark Rutte tells reporters ahead of a summit for the military alliance.

Trump tells ‘everyone’ to keep oil prices down

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday expressed a desire to see oil prices kept down amid fears that ongoing fighting in the Middle East could cause them to spike.

“Everyone, keep oil prices down, I’m watching! You’re playing into the hands of the enemy, don’t do it,” he wrote in all caps on his Truth Social platform.

Trump followed up with another post addressed to the U.S. Department of Energy, encouraging it to “drill, baby, drill” and saying, “I mean now.”

EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON’T DO IT!

— Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) June 23, 2025

Russia says Iran has right to self-defense and their partnership is ‘unbreakable’

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says that Iran has the full right to self-defense and called the strategic partnership between Moscow and Tehran “unbreakable,” state news agencies reports.

Asked whether Iran has requested military assistance from Russia, Ryabkov tells Interfax that Moscow was working with Iran across multiple areas and it would irresponsible to disclose further details on their cooperation.

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it distributed 34,000 boxes of food at three sites

The US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it distributed nearly 34,000 boxes of food at three distribution sites today in southern and central Gaza.

GHF says its boxes contain enough food for 5.5 people for 3.5 days, but the contents are dry food products that need to be prepared elsewhere in war-ravaged Gaza, where community kitchens and cooking supplies are limited.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announces that 75 humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Sunday. About half of those trucks were filled with GHF food boxes.

An average of fewer than 60 trucks of aid have entered Gaza each day since Israel lifted its blockade on May 19 after 78 days. The amount of aid falls well below what aid groups say is required to address the need in Gaza.

MKs pan police closure of Jerusalem’s Old City to nonresidents during Iran conflict

Knesset lawmakers slam the police over the closure of the Old City of Jerusalem to nonresidents during a hearing in the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.

Following the outbreak of war with Iran, Israeli authorities have kept the Old City closed to nonresidents as a precautionary measure, with police officers deployed at its gates to check the documents of those coming in. According to the Haaretz daily, police have closed Palestinian businesses in the Old City despite not doing so in other neighborhoods of the capital.

“To the best of my knowledge, no curfew or lockdown was declared anywhere in the country. A de facto lockdown was declared in the Old City. Anyone who does not live there is not allowed to enter by order of the police. The Western Wall was closed,” says United Torah Judaism MK Yitzhak Pindrus.

Committee chairman Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism) demands to know by what authority the police have closed off access to the Old City. Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovich, a former senior police official, notes that “currently, no civil emergency has been declared,” meaning that the police lack legal authority for their actions.

Jerusalem District Police commander Amir Arzani tells lawmakers that law enforcement “did not impose a full lockdown, even though we could.”

The Old City is different from other areas because of how “crowded and complex” it is, Arzani says, arguing that any rescue operation would be “very complex” and that the law allows police to “order the closure of businesses if there is a concern for public safety.”

IDF says it has been intercepting dozens of Iranian drones using electronic warfare means

The Israeli military reveals that it has intercepted dozens of Iranian drones using electronic warfare means since the beginning of the war with Iran.

Troops of the 5114th Spectrum Battalion, part of the IDF’s Computer Service Directorate, “have played a significant role in the mission to defend against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the military says.

In recent days, the IDF says the unit foiled dozens of attempts by Iran to carry out UAV attacks on Israel, using “advanced technological tools for the real-time detection and neutralization of aerial threats.”

“Their activity provides an additional layer of defense,” the IDF says.

Iran has launched more than 1,000 drones at Israel during the war, with the vast majority of them being intercepted by the Israeli Air Force and Navy. One drone hit a home in Beit She’an over the weekend.

White House says it’s not seeking Iran regime change after Trump raised idea

The White House clarifies that it is not seeking regime change in Iran after US President Donald Trump publicly entertained the idea on Sunday for the first time.

“The President’s posture and our military posture has not changed,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tells reporters.

“The president was simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking: if the Iranian regime refuses to give up its nuclear program or engage in talks… if they refuse to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn’t the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime?”

Knesset to hold hearing on impeaching Arab lawmaker who hailed release of ‘hostages and prisoners’

Hadash-Ta'al party chairman Ayman Odeh speaks in Knesset, Jerusalem, June 16, 2025. (Noam Moskowitz, Office of the Knesset Spokesperson)

The Knesset House Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday to discuss the potential impeachment of MK Ayman Odeh, the chairman of the Arab-majority Hadash-Ta’al party, over a statement he made appearing to equate Israeli hostages with Palestinian security prisoners.

Odeh describes the effort to impeach him as “shameless political persecution that is clearly racist.”

“I call on the opposition members of the Knesset: Do not cooperate with this show. Do not be part of this anti-democratic move. Because today it is us and tomorrow it is you,” he says.

The impeachment proceedings are only the latest in a “series of anti-democratic measures that the government is promoting under the auspices of the war: persecuting protesters and opponents of the regime, silencing the free media, and restricting freedom of expression,” Hadash-Ta’al asserts in a statement.

According to the party, the hearing comes on top of a Knesset Ethics Committee decision on Monday to suspend Odeh from the Knesset for two weeks starting on July 7, during which time he will not receive a salary. The Knesset did not release an official announcement of the decision and the chairman of the committee, UTJ MK Moshe Roth, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Arab lawmaker drew outrage from lawmakers across the political spectrum on January 19 after saying that he was “happy for the release of the hostages and prisoners” as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

“Now we must free both peoples from the yoke of occupation. We were all born free,” Odeh posted on X, as three Israeli women who were kidnapped by terrorists during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre were released from the Gaza Strip after over 15 months in captivity.

Odeh later defended his statement, characterizing the released Palestinian prisoners as minors and insisting that “most of the prisoners released that day were not charged with anything at all.”

Many of those Palestinians released were in administrative detention, a controversial tool used by Israeli security forces exclusively against Arab Israelis and Palestinians, in which they are detained without due process.

While none of those released were charged with murder, several were behind non-deadly terror attacks, including 15-year-old Mahmoud Aliowat, who was convicted of carrying out a shooting in the City of David area of Jerusalem, wounding two people, when he was 13.

According to Basic Law: The Knesset, 90 Knesset members may vote to expel a colleague who expressed support “for an armed struggle” against the State of Israel. Once 70 signatures are collected, the matter is referred to the Knesset House Committee and, if approved there, goes to the plenum for a vote.

An effort to impeach Hadash-Ta’al lawmaker Ofer Cassif over his public support for a South African motion accusing Israel of genocide before the International Court of Justice failed last February when it only garnered 85 votes in the plenum.

Tax authority compensation fund receives 36,465 claims since start of Iran war

The Israel Tax Authority’s compensation fund has received 36,465 claims since the beginning of the war against Iran.

The vast majority of claims are requesting compensation for damage done to homes, followed by vehicles and other property.

It is estimated that there are thousands more homes that have been damaged for which no claims have yet been filed.

The Federation of Local Authorities says 10,996 people have been evacuated from their homes to hotels. It estimates that an additional 4,000 have moved in with friends and relatives.

Ex-hostage Eli Sharabi’s autobiography sets Israeli record for fastest-selling book

Eli Sharabi, left, and his brother Sharon Sharabi in London, where Eli Sharabi received the Golden Book Award on June 23, 2025, for breaking the record for the number of copies sold for his book 'Hostage.' (Courtesy)

Released hostage Eli Sharabi, speaking during an online ceremony on Monday to receive the Golden Book Award for breaking the Israeli record for the fastest-selling book with his recent autobiography, “Hostage,” says that books and language can be tools for survival.

Sharabi, who was released from Hamas captivity four months ago, tells about being held captive for months with Alon Ohel, Eliya Cohen and Or Levy, and how they taught Cohen how to speak and read English during that time by reading the only book they had, a novel by American author Leigh Bardugo.

“We taught Eliya English and he read the book a few times, he learned English in captivity,” says Sharabi. “It shows how much our survival mattered.”

Sharabi, 52, was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas onslaught. His wife Lianne and daughters Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were murdered. His brother Yossi was also kidnapped and murdered by his captors, who still hold his body.

Sharabi was held in Hamas captivity for 491 days and was released on February 8 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US.

“Hostage,” published by Sella Meir Publishing House, was written over two months and is the first memoir published by a released hostage. Sharabi says that he wrote the book quickly in order to tell his story, and in the hopes it would help those still held hostage.

“I wrote it to show how much you can choose the cards in your hand, you can make the choice to live and how to live,” says Sharabi, speaking from London where he and his brother Sharon have been stranded since their flight home to Israel was diverted due to the conflict with Iran.

Sharabi says he wrote the book to describe the experience of captivity so readers would understand what he and other hostages experienced and what is still happening to hostages still in Hamas captivity, which includes Alon Ohel, 23, who was left behind when his three cellmates were released.

“I can’t stop thinking about them and acting for them, so that they come home, and they will,” says Sharabi.

Sharabi thanks the Israeli public for reading the book, which sold 20,000 copies in one week, and which will be translated into other languages in order to reach a wide a public as possible.

“Books — more than films, TV series or plays — are able to relate the true circumstances of a situation,” says Sharabi.

Over 50 fighter jets participated in wave of strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure — IDF

More than 50 fighter jets were involved in the latest wave of airstrikes in Tehran, the IDF says.

The military says the “extensive” strikes were intended to cause a blow to the military capabilities of the Iranian regime.

The strikes hit “military headquarters of the Iranian regime, missile production sites, radar systems, and missile storage infrastructure” in the Tehran area, the IDF says.

IDF says it demolished 2.5 km of Hamas tunnels in north Gaza operations

The IDF says it demolished 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) of Hamas tunnels in the Kafr Jabalia area in the northern Gaza Strip during recent operations.

It publishes footage of the demolition.

כוחות חטיבה 401 השמידו מספר תוואים תת-קרקעיים באורך כולל של יותר מ-2.5 קילומטרים במרחב כפר ג׳באליה

כוחות צוות הקרב של חטיבה 401 בפיקוד אוגדה 162, פועלים במרחב כפר ג׳אבלייה שבצפון רצועת עזה.

במסגרת הפעילות, לוחמי גדוד ההנדסה הפועלים תחת החטיבה, חקרו והשמידו בשבוע האחרון מספר… pic.twitter.com/I1O3xMUdvO

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) June 23, 2025

Iranian outlet publishes footage of Israel doomsday clock that IDF said it destroyed

Despite Israel’s claim that it destroyed a digital display in central Tehran counting down to its destruction, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news outlet publishes what it says is a video showing the doomsday clock still ticking.

The outlet claims that the video was taken this afternoon, following Israel’s announcement that it had hit the clock, along with other “regime targets and governmental repression” units in the Iranian capital. There is no way to verify the authenticity of the video or the claim of when it was filmed. The Iranian regime tightly controls images showing the effects of Israel’s airstrikes.

The digital timekeeper sits (or sat) atop a small billboard in Tehran’s Palestine Square counting down the days to September 2040, which is when Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei predicted there will no longer be a State of Israel.

According to the clock in the video, Israel has 5,569 days left.

🚨🇮🇷 IRAN: COUNTDOWN TO ISRAEL’S DESTRUCTION STILL TICKING

Iranian media posted a video showing the digital clock in Tehran’s Palestine Square is still active, despite Israeli claims it was bombed.

The display counts down to 2040, based on Khamenei’s 25-year prediction of… https://t.co/YYyoRsaTja pic.twitter.com/3ZhuL2j8uP

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) June 23, 2025

Germany adjusting precautions in case of retaliatory strike by Iran, says official

The German government is adapting its precautions in case of possible retaliatory strikes by Iran in close consultation with partners, following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a government official says.

“We have done so since before the operations began. We will continue to do so. But we are making ongoing adjustments and are in very close and very constructive consultation with our partners,” says the official, adding that the topic was discussed with Britain and France yesterday.

Syrian president vows those involved in church attack will face justice

Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa receives Saudi Arabia's foreign minister in Damascus, Syria, on May 31, 2025. (SANA / AFP)

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa vows that those involved in a suicide attack on a Damascus church yesterday will face justice, calling for unity after the “heinous” attack.

“We promise… that we will work night and day, mobilizing all our specialized security agencies, to capture all those who participated in and planned this heinous crime and to bring them to justice,” Sharaa says in a statement.

The attack “reminds us of the importance of solidarity and unity of the government and the people in facing all that threatens our nation’s security and stability,” he adds.

Israel said to convey message to Iran it is looking to end war within days

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit and caused damage at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba on June 19, 2025. (Marc Israel Sellem/Flash90)

After Sunday’s US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Israel is looking to end its bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing Israeli and Arab officials.

According to Channel 12, Israel believes it will reach its military objectives for Operation Rising Lion — removing the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat from Israel — in the next few days.

Arab officials tell The Journal that the US has told Arab partners to pass the message to Iran that Israel is looking to wrap up the operation soon. However, according to the officials, Iran still feels it has to respond to US strikes on Sunday.

Yesterday, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Jerusalem is willing to end the bombing campaign if Iran agrees to dismantle its nuclear program. “It depends on Iran, not on us,” says the official. “We are happy to wrap it up now; if there’s an agreement at the end, Israel will be content with the result.”

There are two options for ending the campaign itself, reports Channel 12: Israel can unilaterally declare it has achieved its war aims, and Iran ends its missile strikes; or the US announces that both sides have agreed to a ceasefire, something Israel sees as less desirable.

If Iran does not stop firing at Israel, Walla notes, Israel will intensify its strikes with a focus on undermining the regime. Today’s strikes on regime targets in the heart of Tehran were meant to preview what Israel may do if Iran doesn’t agree to stop firing at Israel, according to the outlet.

Citing security sources, Walla reports that Israel believes Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is the main obstacle to Iran agreeing to end the fighting.

Israeli officials tell The Journal that they hope the American and Israeli strikes will push Iran back to the negotiating table, where it will ultimately accept an end to its nuclear program. If Israel determines that Tehran is trying to rebuild it, the Israeli officials add, it will send the air force in to strike again.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was very close to achieving its goals in Iran, having inflicted significant damage both to the ballistic missile program and nuclear facilities.

He promised not to let Israel be dragged into a “war of attrition” with the Islamic Republic, but stressed that this did not mean he would be prepared to end the campaign before all its objectives had been met.

IDF denies online rumors of hostage rescue, missile alert system malfunction

The IDF denies rumors circulating online claiming a hostage rescue operation was carried out in the Gaza Strip.

“The IDF asks the public to follow only official sources and to refrain from spreading false rumors, which harm the families of the hostages and the public. Efforts to bring the hostages home are ongoing at all times,” it says.

The military also denies a rumor that the Home Front Command is experiencing a malfunction with its warning system.

“The Home Front Command clarifies that this is a false message. The IDF urges the public to follow only official statements and to refrain from spreading false rumors,” it adds.

Power restored in north Tehran after Israeli attack — media

The power supply has been restored to northern Tehran after outages caused by an Israeli strike earlier, local media reports.

“The outages were completely resolved in northern Tehran,” Tasnim news agency says, citing the regional electricity company.

Tehran Power Distribution Company right now pic.twitter.com/A43T0D7JIz

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) June 23, 2025

High Court postpones hearing on PM’s right to appoint new Shin Bet chief

Incoming Supreme Court President Isaac Amit at his inauguration ceremony at the President's Residence in jerusalem, February 13, 2025. (Yonatan SIndel/FLASH90)

The High Court of Justice postpones a hearing for a petition against the attorney general’s position that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a conflict of interest in appointing a new Shin Bet chief.

A hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday, but president of the court Isaac Amit says it cannot be held since the courts are currently on an emergency footing, meaning only urgent proceedings can be held.

The hearing will be scheduled for next week instead, Amit decides.

The High Court ruled in May that Netanyahu had a conflict of interest in firing then-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in March due to criminal investigations the security agency was conducting, together with the police, against the prime minister’s close aides. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara then issued a legal position paper determining that Netanyahu therefore had a conflict of interest in appointing a new head of the Shin Bet, which has delayed the process for replacing Bar.

The deputy Shin Bet chief known only by his first initial “Shin” is currently serving as acting head.

A right-leaning grouping of families bereaved by terror attacks called Choose Life petitioned the High Court against the attorney general’s position.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin lambastes Amit’s decision to delay the hearing, arguing that the appointment of a permanent Shin Bet chief during a time of war is urgent, and says that the court’s involvement in the appointment of the head of the security service is doing “mortal harm” to state security.

“Judge Amit’s decision today adds to the cumulative damage caused by High Court judges to state security, and to the ongoing damage caused by Judge Amit himself in his repeated attempts to tie the hands of the government in managing security matters,” declares Levin.

Spain seeks immediate suspension of EU association agreement with Israel; Italy opposed

File: Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares looks on during a press conference at the EU headquarters in Brussels on June 11, 2025. (Nicolas TUCAT / AFP)

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares tells reporters he will ask the EU Council to approve an immediate suspension of the pact that governs the relationship between the EU and Israel to protest against what he calls human rights violations in Gaza.

He also says he will ask the council to approve an embargo on weapons sold to Israel and approve sanctions on individuals who are undermining the two-state solution.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says Rome is against a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

“Our position is different from that of Spain,” Tajani says on the sidelines of a meeting with EU colleagues in Brussels.

Tajani adds that it is important to keep relations open with Israel, saying that this has facilitated the evacuation of some civilians out of Gaza.

UK police ban Palestine Action protest outside parliament

British police have banned campaign group Palestine Action from protesting outside parliament today, a rare move that comes after two of its members broke into a military base last week and as the government considers banning the organization.

The group says in response that it changed the location of its protest to Trafalgar Square, which lies just outside a police exclusion zone.

The pro-Palestinian organization is among groups that have regularly targeted defense firms and other companies in Britain linked to Israel since the start of the conflict in Gaza.

British media have reported that the government is considering proscribing, or effectively banning, Palestine Action, as a terrorist organization, putting it on a par with al-Qaeda or ISIS.

London’s Metropolitan Police said late on Sunday that it would impose an exclusion zone for a protest planned by Palestine Action outside the Houses of Parliament – a popular location for demonstrations in support of a range of causes.

“The right to protest is essential and we will always defend it, but actions in support of such a group go beyond what most would see as legitimate protest,” Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said.

Palestine Action’s members are alleged to have caused millions of pounds of criminal damage, assaulted a police officer with a sledgehammer and, in the incident last week, damaged two military aircraft, Rowley added.

Government presents financial compensation plan for businesses hurt by war

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich presents the government's plan for compensating businesses and workers affected by the war with Iran, June 23, 2025 (GPO screenshot)

The government announces its plan for compensating those affected financially by the ongoing war with Iran, including grants for businesses whose income streams have been reduced and workers who have been furloughed, “with the aim of creating as broad a safety net as possible for the working public.”

The outline is presented by officials at a joint press conference featuring Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Knesset Finance Committee Chairman Moshe Gafni, Business Sector Presidium chair Dubi Amitai, and Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David.

According to the Finance Ministry, the outline is focused on maintaining economic “continuity,” with an emphasis on small and medium-sized businesses. Businesses with an annual turnover of NIS 12,000 ($3,450) to NIS 400 million ($114 million) that has decreased by more than 25% month over month will be compensated from the Property Tax Compensation Fund.

Businesses bringing in less than NIS 300,000 ($86,000) a year will be eligible for a fixed business continuity grant “depending on the level of damage to the business,” while businesses earning NIS 300,000 to NIS 400 million will be eligible for the reimbursement of 7%-22% of their expenses, “depending on the rate of damage to business turnover, as well as a refund of 75% of salary expenses in relation to the level of damage.”

Businesses with an annual turnover of NIS 300,000 to NIS 100 million ($28 million) will have compensation capped at NIS 600,000 ($172,000).

Employees placed on unpaid leave due to the cessation of economic activity during the war will receive payments from the National Insurance Institute and will not be forced to use any of their accrued vacation days.

“The activation of the compensation track for businesses throughout the country sends a clear message to the citizens of Israel: You are not alone,” Smotrich declares.

The outline is welcomed by the Histadrut’s Bar-David, who says the labor federation reached an agreement with the government in order to “provide certainty to the economy and to the workers of Israel.”

“We did it during COVID, we did it at the beginning of the war [with Hamas], and we are doing it now as well,” he says.

The Business Sector Presidium’s Amitai also praises the new outline, stating that “thanks to national responsibility and close cooperation, we were able to reach a compensation outline that will provide certainty to businesses and employees and contribute to the stability of the economy.”

Shortly after the outbreak of the war with Iran, Smotrich announced that he was consulting with Amitai and Bar-David and that they would decide on steps “to support the economy and workers and to maximize the functional continuity of the economy during the war.”

The Federation of Local Authorities in Israel has reported that around 9,000 people have been displaced from their homes since Israel’s operation against Iran began.

Three tankers divert away from Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions

This handout natural-colour image acquired with MODIS on NASA's Terra satellite taken on February 5, 2025 shows the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz (upper left) (NASA Earth Observatory / AFP)

Three empty oil and chemical tankers have diverted away from the Strait of Hormuz and changed course, Marine Traffic ship tracking data shows, amid growing uncertainty over whether Iran will take reprisal action in the vital waterway after US airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.

The Marie C and Red Ruby, which were in ballast rather than carrying cargo and previously sailing toward the Strait, dropped anchor near Fujairah off the United Arab Emirates coast. The Kohzan Maru was sailing in the Gulf of Oman close to Omani waters, according to data on the MarineTraffic platform.

Japan’s Nippon Yusen and Mitsui OSK Lines say they have instructed their vessels to minimize the time spent in the Gulf as they continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

US Embassy in Qatar tells American citizens to ‘shelter in place’

File: A vendor sells balloons outside at the Souq Waqif bazaar in Doha on June 12, 2025. (Karim JAAFAR / AFP)

The US Embassy in Qatar has emailed a message to American citizens in Qatar recommending they shelter in place until further notice.

The message notes the recommendation is “out of an abundance of caution” and offers no further information.

IDF offers more details on latest Tehran strikes

Israeli Air Force fighter jets have dropped over 100 munitions on targets in Tehran in the past two hours, according to the IDF.

In the latest wave of strikes on Tehran, the IDF says it struck the Thar-Allah Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is “tasked with defending Tehran against security threats, including internal threats.”

The strikes also hit the Sayyid al-Shuhada Corps, also part of the IRGC, which the military says is “responsible for homeland defense, including the suppression of internal threats such as protests and unrest in Tehran.”

Additional strikes in Tehran hit the headquarters of Iran’s internal security forces’ information security unit. The IDF says the unit is “responsible for monitoring personnel within the internal security forces, and overseeing the control and supervision of information and communications within the organization.”

Israeli strike on Tehran jail ‘irresponsible’ — French prisoner’s sister

An Israeli strike on Evin Prison in Tehran is “completely irresponsible” and “puts our loved ones in mortal danger,” says Noemie Kohler, the sister of French national Cecile Kohler held in Iran.

“We have no news, we don’t know if they are still alive, we’re panicking,” Kohler tells AFP, urging the French authorities to “condemn these extremely dangerous strikes” and secure the release of the French prisoners.

It is believed that the strike only hit a gate into the prison.

IDF says it bombed access roads to Iran’s underground Fordo facility

This satellite picture by Planet Labs PBC shows Iran's underground nuclear enrichment site at Fordo following US airstrikes targeting the facility, on June 22, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

The IDF confirms carrying out a strike against the access roads to Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear facility earlier today.

It says the strikes were intended to “disrupt” the site’s accessibility, after the US bombed the nuclear facility over the weekend.

Haifa resident to be indicted on suspicion of spying for Iran

Police and Shin Bet agents arrested a resident of Haifa last month on suspicion of spying for Iran, and expect an indictment to be filed against him later this week.

According to police and Shin Bet spokespeople, 28-year-old Dmitri Cohen gathered intelligence on Israeli citizens, taking photos of their homes and surrounding areas, which he then passed on to his Iranian handler. He was reportedly promised $500 for each task he carried out, and received thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency since first coming into contact with the Iranian agent. He used a separate phone for his espionage activities.

One of Cohen’s targets was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s daughter-in-law to be, Amit Yardeni, Hebrew media outlets report. She was set to marry his son Avner last week, but their wedding was postponed due to the outbreak of war with Iran.

Cohen was arrested a month ago, before the outbreak of war with Iran, by police officers in the Coastal District’s investigations and intelligence unit, in cooperation with the Shin Bet.

A prosecutor’s declaration was filed against Cohen this morning, the police and Shin Bet say. State prosecutors in the Haifa District Attorney’s Office are expected to file charges against him in the coming days.

The man is one of dozens of suspects thought to have passed sensitive information to Iranian agents in recent years.

Police also recently detained a 19-year-old from the Sharon region on suspicion of spying for Tehran, Ynet reports today. The young man is thought to have contacted an Iranian agent and passed along confidential information to him over the course of the war. The case is reportedly being handled by the Shin Bet. Police have not yet commented on the arrest of the unnamed 19-year-old.

IDF says it hit Tehran targets responsible for ‘homeland defense, suppressing threats, regime stability’

The military is now providing more details on the strikes in Tehran.

Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck headquarters and other assets belonging to Iran’s internal security forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran, the IDF says in a statement.

“These forces are composed of various corps and commands and are responsible, on behalf of the Iranian regime’s military, for homeland defense, suppressing threats, and maintaining regime stability,” the statement says.

According to the IDF, the strikes hit the Basij headquarters in Tehran, which it says “serves as one of the bases of power of the IRGC and is responsible, among other things, for enforcing Islamic code and reporting civilians who violate it to the authorities.”

Israel is dismantling the IRGC in Tehran. pic.twitter.com/3ZF1S0Q4a0

— נועה מגיד | Noa magid (@NoaMagid) June 23, 2025

Additionally, the strikes hit the Alborz Corps, which the military says is “responsible for protecting several cities in Tehran Province from various threats and preserving regime stability,” along with the Iranian internal security forces’ intelligence and general security police.

“These headquarters are significant both militarily and in terms of governance, and striking them harms the military capabilities of the Iranian regime,” the IDF adds.

IDF believes many Revolutionary Guard troops killed in strikes in Tehran

The IDF assesses that numerous IRGC soldiers were killed in the strikes in Tehran.

Israel confirms hitting Basij HQ, Evin Prison, ‘Destruction of Israel’ clock in Tehran

Illustrative: A 2008 photo of Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, where a number of foreigners and dual nationals have been detained over the years. (CC BY-SA 2.0 Ehsan Iran/Wikipedia)

Defense Minister Israel Katz details the targets of the wave of Israeli strikes in Tehran.

“The IDF is currently striking with unprecedented force regime targets and governmental repression bodies in the heart of Tehran, including the Basij headquarters, the Evin Prison for political prisoners and regime opponents, the ‘Destruction of Israel’ clock in Palestine Square, the internal security headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideology headquarters, and other regime targets,” Katz says in statement.

There are no reports of prisoners hurt in the strike, which was apparently intended to allow the detainees to escape

The clock, erected in the heart of Tehran in 2017, counts down to Israel’s ostensible demise by 2040.

Iranian clock counting down to “destruction of Israel.”(Screenshot/Channel 12)

Putin tells Iranian FM that strikes on country were groundless

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the publication of the first issue of Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, in Moscow, Russia, May 24, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin tells Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in talks in Moscow that aggression against Iran was groundless.

Putin makes the comments at the start of Kremlin talks and says Russia is ready to help the Iranian people.

IDF says strikes in Tehran hit IRGC headquarters

Ongoing Israeli strikes in Tehran are hitting headquarters belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says in a press conference.

IAEA chief expects ‘very significant damage’ at Iran’s Fordo site

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has taken seat for the IAEA's Board of Governors meeting at the agency's headquarters in Vienna, Austria on June 16, 2025. (Joe Klamar/AFP)

US bombing probably caused “very significant” damage to the underground areas of Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment plant dug into a mountain, though no one can yet tell the extent, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi says.

“Given the explosive payload utilized and the extreme(ly) vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred,” Grossi says in a statement to an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors.

Potential Iranian closure of Strait of Hormuz would be ‘extremely dangerous’ — EU top diplomat

The EU’s top diplomat warns it would be “extremely dangerous” should Iran shut down the crucial Strait of Hormuz trading route over US strikes on its nuclear sites.

“Any Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be extremely dangerous,” Kaja Kallas says, as EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels for talks with the Iran-Israel conflict high on the agenda.

“Ministers are very much focused on the diplomatic solution, and also the concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge,” she says.

Foreign ministers remain focused on a diplomatic solution, but concerns about the war escalating are high.

Any Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be extremely dangerous.

My doorstep ahead of today’s Foreign Affairs Council ↓ pic.twitter.com/VeHwCyxdL4

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 23, 2025

Israeli airstrike hits entrance to Tehran’s Evin Prison, reports say

An Israeli airstrike hit Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison a short while ago, according to reports from Iran.

The opposition Iran International says the strike hit the entrance gate to the prison, apparently to allow prisoners to escape.

Evin Prison is a large and heavily fortified complex where Iran has incarcerated political prisoners, journalists, academics, human rights activists, and others.

Electricity restored after missile hits power station in south

The Israel Electric Corporation says power has been restored after an Iranian ballistic missile struck near a power station in southern Israel this morning.

“Teams restored the electricity supply to all consumers,” the IEC says, after several towns in the area experienced outages.

IDF says one missile fired, intercepted in Iranian attack on north

One ballistic missile was fired from Iran at northern Israel in the latest attack, according to IDF assessments.

The missile was intercepted.

In total, seven or eight missiles were launched from Iran this morning, with no reports of injuries.

Overnight, one missile was fired and intercepted.

Israel attacks Iran’s Fordo nuclear site — Iranian media

Iranian media reports that Israel is striking the Fordo nuclear site in the wake of the American strikes on the same facility early Sunday morning.

Israel offers condolences to Orthodox church after deadly attack in Damascus

Syrian security forces stand guard outside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweil'a in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

After at least 22 worshipers were killed Sunday in a suicide attack on a Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Israel’s Interior Minister Moshe Arbel sends a letter of condolence to the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III.

“It is difficult to find words that can fully convey the magnitude of this tragedy, the boundless pain, and the shock that reverberates in the heart of every person who believes in peace and the dignity of humanity,” writes Arbel, from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.

“The loss of innocent lives in a sacred space is a crime against the spirit and a profound violation of human values,” he writes.

The Greek Orthodox community is Israel’s second-largest Christian confession, representing about 30% of Israel’s Christians.

“We stand beside you in prayer, in solidarity, and in hope for a better and safer world. May their memory be a blessing,” Arbel concludes. “Wishing for days of light, justice, and peace.”

Videos appear to show latest Israeli strikes in Tehran

Videos purport to show the aftermath of the latest Israeli strikes in Tehran.

Tehran Power Distribution Company was hit in the latest strike Israeli strike.

North Tehran has lost powers. #IranIsraelConflict #Iran #IranVsIsrael pic.twitter.com/YwAnqKkM3i

— anuragk (@anuragk600) June 23, 2025

Katz: IDF striking ‘with unprecedented force’ regime targets in Tehran

Defense Minister Israel Katz says the IDF is “currently striking with unprecedented force regime targets and governmental repression bodies in the heart of Tehran.”

“Images will soon be released, illustrating the depth of the damage,” he says in a statement issued by his office.

“For every [missile] fired at the Israeli home front, the Iranian dictator will be severely punished, and the strikes will continue with full intensity. We will continue to act to defend the home front and defeat the enemy until all war objectives are achieved,” Katz adds.

No reports of impacts or injuries following missile fire at north

There are no reports of impacts or injuries following the latest ballistic missile fire from Iran, Magen David Adom says.

The IDF Home Front Command says civilians in areas where sirens sounded, in northern Israel, can leave bomb shelters.

Knesset committee meetings resume after missile barrage

Knesset committee meetings resume after a pause caused by lawmakers taking cover in shelters during the latest wave of Iranian missiles.

All meetings were paused after the Homefront Command warned of incoming strikes.

Air Force starts new wave of strikes on military targets in Tehran

The Israeli Air Force has launched a wave of strikes on Iranian military targets in Tehran, the IDF announces.

Sirens sound in northern Israel again after new missile launch

People gather in a underground shelter in Haifa on June 23, 2025, after missiles were fired from Iran (Jalaa MAREY / AFP)

Sirens are sounding across northern Israel again, as Iran keeps up its ballistic missile fire.

Civilians in areas where sirens are sounding are instructed to remain in bomb shelters until further notice.

IDF now says just 6-7 missiles fired in barrage

Just six or seven missiles were launched from Iran in four waves in the attack a short while ago, according to updated IDF assessments.

The missiles were fired over a 40-minute period.

There are no reports of injuries. Several impacts were reported in open areas.

One impact next to a power station in southern Israel has caused outages in nearby towns, according to the Israel Electric Corporation.

Missile impact near ‘strategic’ electrical facility in south causes outages

Magen David Adom medics are seen in southern Israel following an Iranian missile barrage, June 23, 2025 (MDA)

The Israel Electric Corporation says that due to an Iranian ballistic missile impact near a “strategic infrastructure facility” in southern Israel, there are power disruptions in several towns in the area.

“Teams are on their way to several locations on the ground with the aim of restoring power supply as soon as possible. The operations include infrastructure repairs and the removal of safety hazards, and are being carried out in coordination with security forces,” the IEC says.

IDF Home Front Command: Civilians can leave shelters after Iran’s ballistic missile attack

An Israeli family seen in their safe room in central Israel amid ballistic missile attack from Iran, June 23, 2025 (Nati Shohat/FLASH90)

The IDF Home Front Command says civilians can leave bomb shelters following Iran’s ballistic missile attack.

Some 15 missiles were fired over a 40-minute period, according to initial IDF assessments.

There are no reports of injuries, Magen David Adom says.

Some 15 ballistic missiles fired in attack from Iran; several impacts, no injuries reported

People gather in a underground shelter in Tel Aviv on June 23, 2025, after sirens sounded across the country as missiles were fired from Iran (Menahem Kahana / AFP)

About 15 ballistic missiles were launched from Iran at Israel in several waves, according to preliminary IDF assessments.

The missiles were fired in multiple salvos over nearly 40 minutes, marking one of the longest Iranian missile attacks of the war.

There are no immediate reports of injuries in the attack, but several impacts were reported.

Sirens continue to sound across Israel amid Iran’s ballistic missile attack

Sirens continue to sound across Israel amid Iran’s ballistic missile attack.

The latest alerts are activated in communities near the Gaza border.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries in the attack.

Medics responding to reports of ballistic missile impact in Ashdod area

Medics are responding to reports of a ballistic missile impact in the Ashdod area in southern Israel.

Meanwhile, fresh sirens sound in northern Israel amid another salvo of missiles launched from Iran.

IDF says additional missiles have been launched from Iran at Israel

The military says additional missiles have been launched from Iran at Israel.

It says civilians should continue to follow the Home Front Command’s instructions and remain in shelters, as air defenses work to shoot down the threats.

Knesset lawmakers take shelter as Iranian missile barrage triggers sirens

Knesset lawmakers interrupt committee meetings to take shelter in protected areas amid sirens in Jerusalem, after receiving Home Front Command warnings.

Sirens are currently sounding in parts of Jerusalem and other cities following missile launches from Iran.

Sirens across Israel amid Iranian missile barrage

Sirens sound across central Israel, the Jerusalem area, and some parts of southern Israel amid Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack.

Civilians in areas where sirens are sounding are instructed to remain in bomb shelters until further notice.

Alerts were also activated in communities along the Lebanon border a short while before that, in what appears to be back-to-back salvos from Iran.

IDF detects additional barrage from Iran, sirens expected in central Israel

The IDF says it has detected additional ballistic missiles launched from Iran.

Sirens are expected to sound in central Israel in the coming minutes.

Sirens sound in northern Israel as missiles launched from Iran

Sirens sound in Israeli communities along the Lebanon border, following the launch of ballistic missiles from Iran.

Civilians in areas where sirens sound are instructed to enter bomb shelters and remain in them until further notice.

IDF says Haifa impact yesterday was not failed interceptor but undetected missile

A rescue worker carries two children as residents evacuate from the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Haifa, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

After further investigation, the IDF has determined that the impact in Haifa yesterday was not a failed interceptor as initially suspected, but an Iranian ballistic missile that was not detected correctly.

The missile hit a public square in a residential area of the city. Three people were lightly hurt, including one person who was relatively close to the impact site.

There was a “technical failure” with the detection of the missile, according to a Home Front Command and Israeli Air Force investigation.

Therefore, no sirens sounded and no interceptors were launched to shoot the missile down.

The Home Front Command had issued an early warning via the cell broadcast system in Haifa, which it says helped prevent further harm, as most people were seeking shelter even without sirens sounding.

According to the investigation, the Iranian missile split from its warhead mid-air, and interceptors were launched only at the back section. The warhead itself went undetected and hit Haifa.

The missile itself was not unusual, according to the probe, and was similar to others fired by Iran at Israel amid the war. The incident appears to have been an anomaly.

Iranian official: Trump started war, ‘we will be the ones to end it’

Recent hostile action by the United States expanded the scope of legitimate targets for Iran’s armed forces, a spokesperson for its Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters says in a video shared on Monday.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari says the US should expect heavy consequences for its actions.

“Mr. Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it,” Zolfaqari says in English at the end of his recorded statement.

IDF says it completed strikes on Iranian ballistic missile sites

The Israeli Air Force completed a wave of strikes with over 15 fighter jets in the Kermanshah area this morning, targeting Iranian ballistic missile launch sites, the IDF says.

The military says the strikes destroyed several ballistic missile storage and launch sites that were aimed at Israel.

IDF says Air Force Hermes drone shot down in western Iran

An Israeli Air Force drone was shot down over the Khorramabad area in western Iran this morning, the IDF confirms, following Iranian media reports.

“During operational activity, an Air Force unmanned aerial vehicle was downed in Iran. There is no fear of information leaking,” the military says.

Iranian media reported that the drone was a Hermes model.

Last week, an IAF Hermes 900 UAV was shot down over the Isfahan area.

1. Iran published video of shooting down another Israeli UAV (reportedly Hermes type) near the city of Khorramabad in the west of the country this morning (June 23, 2025). pic.twitter.com/6lWuwS5wjX

— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) June 23, 2025

Health Ministry website provides info on services during war

The Health Ministry says it has launched a special website with comprehensive information about the health system’s services during the war with Iran.

The website offers information in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, and English.

“In a national emergency, providing reliable and updated information is critical for saving lives and maintaining the best possible health routine,” says Shulamit Muller-Botbul, deputy director of the ministry’s public relations.

It is available here.

Iran army chief: Americans committed crimes, will receive decisive response

File: Amir Hatami listens during the Conference on International Security in Moscow, Russia, April 4, 2018. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

The new head of Iran’s military, Major General Amir Hatami, says every time Americans have committed crimes against Iran, they’ve received a decisive response, and it will be the same this time, according to the Fars news agency.

Khamenei: Zionist enemy being punished for its big mistake

As the world awaits Iran’s promised retaliation for American strikes on its nuclear sites, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called the bombing campaign Israel launched on June 13 “a big mistake” and “a big crime.”

“The Zionist enemy… is being punished right now,” Khamenei wrote on social media in the early morning, alongside an image of missiles raining down on an Israeli city, and a huge skull.

He was apparently referring to the latest missile attack on the Jewish state, which saw a single projectile launched. It was intercepted by Israeli air defenses.

#همین_حالا
مجازات ادامه دارد

دشمن صهیونی یک اشتباه بزرگی کرده، یک جنایت بزرگی را مرتکب شده؛ باید مجازات بشود و دارد مجازات میشود؛ همین حالا دارد مجازات میشود.#الله_اکبر pic.twitter.com/wH6Wk9nNhJ

— KHAMENEI.IR | فارسی 🇮🇷 (@Khamenei_fa) June 23, 2025

IDF says jets striking military infrastructure sites in Iran’s Kermanshah

The Israeli military says it is currently striking military infrastructure sites in Kermanshah in Iran.

It does not immediately provide further details.

Iran executes a man convicted of cooperating with Israeli intelligence — Tasnim news

Iran executes a detainee named Mohammadamin Shayesteh who was sentenced to death for allegedly collaborating with Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, semi-official Tasnim news agency reports.

Shayesteh was arrested in late 2023 and was described by Tasnim as “the head of a cyber-team affiliated with Mossad.”

Trump to discuss conflict with Iran Monday with his national security team — White House

US President Donald Trump will meet with his national security team on Monday at 1 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. Israel time) to discuss the ongoing conflict with Iran, the White House says.

IDF says drone downed near Eilat before crossing into Israel

The military says the Air Force downed a drone launched toward Israel a short while ago.

The drone was intercepted near the southern city of Eilat before it crossed into Israeli territory, the IDF says, without elaborating.

No sirens sounded in accordance with protocol, the army adds.

Trump claims Iran’s nuke sites sustained ‘monumental damage’ in US strike, particularly underground

Referring to undisclosed satellite images, US President Donald Trump claims Iran’s nuclear sites incurred “monumental damage” in last night’s US nuclear strike.

“Obliteration is an accurate term! The white structure shown is deeply imbedded [sic] into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame,” Trump writes on Truth Social.

Apparently referring to the underground Fordo nuclear site, Trump claims: “The biggest damage took place far below ground level.”

“Bullseye!!!” he declares.

Mahmoud Khalil resumes his activism, appears at NYC rally slamming Iran strikes, backing Palestinians

Mahmoud Khalil resumes his pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activism at a New York City rally that also decries the US strikes on Iran, days after he was released on bail from a jail for immigrants and even as US President Donald Trump’s administration says it will continue its efforts to deport the recent Columbia University graduate.

The pro-Iran protest quickly morphed into a “Welcome Home, Mahmoud” rally on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

Among those clustered near the cathedral doors were some familiar faces—Professor Rashid Khalidi and a mix of radical activist leaders. pic.twitter.com/GNcCVtR7E6

— Stu (@thestustustudio) June 22, 2025

Oil prices up 2.5%, after brief 4% surge in early Asian trade

Oil prices surge in early trade, in the wake of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday.

Brent and the main US crude contract WTI, both jumped more than four percent to hit their highest price since January.

They then pare gains, however, with Brent up 2.4% at $78.83 per barrel and WTI up 2.5% at $75.66.

Australia says it supports US strike on Iran, calls for de-escalation and return to talks

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (L) meets with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) at the State Department in Washington, DC, on January 21, 2025. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong says that Canberra supports the US strike on Iran and calls for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.

“We support action that the US has taken to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Wong said in a television interview with Seven Sunrise.

In a series of television and radio interviews on Monday, Wong says the strike was a unilateral action by its security ally, the United States, and Australia is joining calls from Britain and other countries for Iran to return to the negotiating table.

“We do not want to see escalation,” she tells reporters in Canberra.

There are around 2,900 Australians in Iran and 1,300 in Iraq who are seeking to leave.

Australia has suspended bus evacuations from Israel after the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, but is making preparations for potential evacuations when air space in Israel re-opens, Wong says.

Australia says it has sent two defense planes to the Middle East in non-combat roles to assist civilian evacuations.

China says US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites damaged ‘Washington’s credibility’ in diplomacy

Chinese Ambassador the the UN Fu Cong speaks during a United Nations Security Council emergency meeting in New York on June 22, 2025, one day after US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. (Bryan R. SMITH / AFP)

China says the US attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities has damaged Washington’s credibility.

Beijing is concerned that the situation “may go out of control,” its state broadcaster reports, following a UN Security Council meeting.

China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong says parties should restrain the “impulse of force, avoid exacerbating conflicts and adding fuel to the fire,” according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Fu says parties, especially Israel, “should immediately cease fire to prevent the situation from escalating and avoid the spillover of war.”

Iran was hurt, but the United States’ credibility was also damaged, both as a country and as a participant in any international negotiations,” Fu says.

Separately, China’s embassy in Iran says most Chinese citizens in Iran have been evacuated safely, and those remaining are not in high-risk areas.

One missile launched from Iran; it is intercepted, no reports of injuries

One ballistic missile was launched from Iran in the latest attack, according to preliminary IDF assessments.

The missile, which triggered sirens in Tel Aviv and the surrounding area in central Israel, was intercepted.

There are no reports of impacts in populated areas or injuries, Magen David Adom says.

The Home Front Command says civilians in areas where sirens sounded can leave shelters following the attack.

Sirens sound in central Israel amid missile attack from Iran

Sirens are sounding across central Israel, amid a missile attack from Iran.

Civilians in areas where sirens are sounding are instructed to remain in shelters until further notice.

IDF detects missile launch from Iran, issues early warning for central, northern Israel

Missiles were launched from Iran at Israel a short time ago, the Israel Defense Forces says.

The military is working to shoot down the projectiles.

In the coming minutes, sirens are expected to sound in central and northern Israel and West Bank settlements.

Citizens are instructed to remain near protected spaces and bomb shelters, and to enter those spaces as soon as sirens sound, and to remain there until further notice.

Aryeh Deri says October 7 ‘saved the nation of Israel,’ avoiding deadlier attack and exposing Iran

Shas party chief Aryeh Deri at the scene of suspected arson at a Jerusalem synagogue on June 8, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri says in a TV interview that the events of October 7, 2023 “saved the nation of Israel.”

“I see in this what the Prophet Isaiah said in his prophecy — ‘For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great compassion will I gather thee,'” the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox lawmaker tells right-wing Channel 14’s “The Patriots,” in remarks quoted by Haaretz.

“For a truly small moment, on October 7, God forsook us. We took an awful blow, that until now we haven’t recovered from. So many casualties, we still have hostages there — but it saved the nation of Israel that the former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the wicked and depraved, decided to go first and not to wait for the whole bloc,” Deri says, apparently referring to other Iranian proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, who might have joined in such an attack.

Hezbollah opened fire on Israel on October 8, 2023, the day after Hamas invaded — but did not join the Gaza-based terror group in the attack itself, and did not send its ground fighters into Israel, as it had long trained to do.

“Secondly, all of a sudden we found out — and the nation of Israel and the whole world found out — what Iran is. The Iranians lost all their proxies and were left exposed,” Deri says.

“God performed one more big miracle: that Trump was elected,” he continues. “Without October 7, without Trump, and without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — we wouldn’t have been able to do it,” he says, referring to the ongoing campaign against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Deri tells Channel 14 that, in recent months, the plans for attacking Iran were kept top secret.

“The prime minister led the army and the Mossad little by little. Nothing was impossible for him. They met three or four times a week, over months, and planned this operation,” Deri says, noting that the meetings occurred after Netanyahu would spend eight hours testifying in his ongoing corruption trial.

Israeli airstrikes reported in Parchin, Karaj, air defenses said activated in central Tehran

Israeli airstrikes are reported by local media in Parchin, home to a military complex, southeast of Tehran.

Israeli strikes have previously been reported in Parchin, including in October, on an alleged nuclear weapons research facility there.

Iranian air defenses are also said to activate in the city Karaj, west of Tehran, where parts of uranium enrichment centrifuges are manufactured, and where Israel has also struck anti-aircraft batteries.

Air defenses are also said to have been activated in central Tehran.

Iran threatened to activate US sleeper cells in response to any strike on nuclear sites – report

Iran communicated to US President Donald Trump several days ago that it could activate sleeper-cells to attack the American homeland in response to a strike on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities, NBC reports.

The message made its way to the US president during the G7 summit in Canada last week, which Trump left early amid the conflict in Iran, several days before American fighter jets bombed several of Iran’s nuclear facilities early Sunday.

Neither the White House nor the Iranian Mission to the UN respond to requests for comment on the NBC report, which cites two US officials and a person with knowledge of the threat.

US Vice President JD Vance told NBC’s “Meet the Press” earlier that the White House is examining the threat of a homeland attack “very closely.”

A European diplomat tells NBC that the US and its allies believe Iran has the ability to attack American and European nationals “beyond U.S. soil and beyond the Middle East.”

Israeli security officials float option of US-declared unilateral ceasefire in Iran — report

Members of the Iranian Red Crescent clearing debris at a building destroyed during an Israeli attack in Tehran, June 19, 2025. (Iranian Red Crescent / AFP)

Current and former senior officials in the Israeli security establishment are cited by Ynet’s Ronen Bergman as saying the US may ultimately unilaterally declare a ceasefire in Iran.

These officials say that what’s left of Iran’s nuclear facilities is beside the point, so long as Israel and the US maintain air supremacy over the country, and can attack the moment it begins to revive its enrichment activity or fires missiles at Israel.

If such a ceasefire is declared, and Iran breaks it, Israel and the US could launch joint strikes against vital infrastructure, or energy sites, the report says.

On the other hand, if Iran respects the ceasefire, it will allow the Islamic Republic to claim it subdued Israel and the US, while the US and Israel declare that they’ve eliminated Iran’s nuclear threat — providing an off-ramp from further escalation.

France says drafting army aircraft to fly nationals out of Israel

A French Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft performs during an exhibition flight demonstration as part of the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at the Paris Le Bourget Airport, in Le Bourget, suburb of Paris on June 17, 2025. (Bertrand GUAY / AFP)

France will send military A400M aircraft to Israel to fly any of its citizens who wish to leave out to Cyprus, French foreign and defense ministries announce.

The flights will be carried out subject to Israel’s clearance and will supplement the chartered civilian flights already operating, the ministries add.

France has some 250,000 of its citizens in Israel, of whom 100,00 are registered on consular lists.

A crisis team at the foreign ministry has received more than 4,500 phone calls over the last week.

Earlier Sunday, 160 French nationals, most of them vulnerable or in urgent situations, were flown back to Paris from Jordan accompanied by a ministry doctor.

US military, intelligence detect signs Iran-backed militias preparing to attack US bases – NYT

A US official says American military and intelligence officials have detected signs of Iran-backed groups preparing to attack US bases in Iraq and possibly Syria, according to The New York Times.

So far, the groups have held off on striking the American targets, and Iraqi officials are working to dissuade them from attacking, the official says.

US warns of ‘heightened threat environment’ after strikes on Iran, warns citizens abroad to be cautious

The US Department of Homeland Security warns Americans that the “ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States.”

Iranian and pro-Iran actors are likely to launch cyberattacks against US networks, DHS says in a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin.

“The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland,” it adds.

“Multiple recent Homeland terrorist attacks have been motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment, and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks.”

Meanwhile, the US State Department “advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution,” amid “the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.”

The US has also begun flights to evacuate US citizens from Israel, and provides a form online for Americans looking to join one.

No such flights are expected for citizens looking to leave Iran, the State Department notes.

Police arrest Tel Aviv resident, tourist on suspicion of documenting missile impact sites

Police arrest a Tel Aviv resident and a tourist who have in their possession “suspicious documentation” of impact sites, amid daily ballistic missile and drone attacks by Iran during the ongoing war.

“Officers from Rishon Lezion and Border Police began searches this evening, upon receiving a report of a suspicious couple on a motorcycle documenting impact sites in the Shfela region,” the police say in a statement.

“Police managed to locate the two near Kfar Chabad and to arrest them, after the two tried to flee and, it is suspected, hide their recording equipment.”

“The two have been transferred to the Rishon Lezion police station” for questioning, and may ultimately be transferred to a security body, the statement adds.

Macron tells his defense council diplomacy ‘is the only way’ to stop Iran getting nuclear weapon

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, June 20, 2025. (Benoit Tessier / AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron warns against an “uncontrolled escalation” in the Middle East.

“No strictly military response can produce the desired effects,” Macron tells a French defense council meeting in Paris.

“The resumption of diplomatic and technical discussions is the only way to achieve the goal we all seek, which is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” he adds.

The French leader, however, does not directly condemn the strikes.

Germany’s Merz calls on Iran to ‘immediately enter into negotiations’ with US, Israel

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives a statement in Berlin before traveling to the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, on June 15, 2025. (John MacDougall/AFP)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls for a swift return to diplomacy after the US’s strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Iran must “immediately enter into negotiations with the US and Israel and to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict,” Merz says, according to his spokesman Stefan Kornelius.

The German government believes “large parts of Iran’s nuclear program have been damaged by the airstrikes,” Kornelius notes.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul tells the ARD broadcaster “no one thinks it’s a good thing to keep fighting” and Berlin will “keep doing everything we can to make sure we get serious negotiations going.”

“Everyone knows there has to be a negotiated solution. I think everyone’s ready for that,” he says.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius earlier told ARD that “a major threat has been eliminated, and I can only repeat that this is good news for the Middle East, but also for Europe.”

Israeli strikes reported in Tabriz, in northwest Iran

Israeli strikes target several parts of northwest Iran, Iranian media report.

The strikes target “two locations in the southwestern part of Tabriz” city, capital of the East Azerbaijan province, the semi-official ISNA news agency says, quoting Majid Farshi, the province’s crisis management authority chief.

It is not immediately clear what locations are targeted, but Farshi says air-defense systems had been activated to counter the attack.

Israel’s UN envoy blasts countries that criticized US strike on Iran: ‘Where were you when Iran raced toward the bomb?’

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon addresses the United Nations Security Council, March 21, 2025. (Richard Drew/AP)

“Last night, history changed,” declares Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

“The United States, the leader of the free world, removed the greatest existential threat facing the free world,” he says. “This was not a war of choice; this act was a necessity; it was a righteous act.”

Danon rails against states who criticized the US strike: “Where were you when Iran raced toward the bomb?

“Where were you when it enriched uranium far beyond the point of civilian use? When it buried entire fortresses beneath mountains to prepare for our extermination? Where were you when Iran turned negotiation into theater and deceit into strategy?”

“You were silent. You were complicit. You were afraid. You were bystanders,” he charges.

His comments come after Iran’s envoy blasts Israel’s “barbaric assault” on Iran, saying “history will not forget these tragic days,” identifying Iran as a “peace-loving” and a “non-nuclear state,” and Israel as a “criminal regime.”

Amir-Saeid Iravani says that “internationally wanted war criminal Netanyahu succeeded in hijacking US foreign policy, dragging the United States into yet another costly baseless war.”

“Iran reserves its full and legitimate right under international law to defend itself against this blatant US aggression and its Israeli proxy. The timing, nature and scale of Iran’s proportionate response will be decided by its armed forces,” he says.

Trump, in online post, entertains idea of regime change in Iran: ‘Why wouldn’t there be?’

US President Donald Trump (left) speaks, as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on March 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP); Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei attends a meeting with a group of defense officials, in Tehran, February 12, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

US President Donald Trump publicly entertains the idea of regime change in Iran, just hours after Vice President JD Vance and others in his administration insisted that Washington’s fight was limited to Iran’s nuclear program and that it wasn’t trying to topple the regime.

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???MIGA!!!” Trump writes on Truth social.

In separate posts, Trump says the B-2 bombers that struck Iran’s nuclear sites have “just landed, safely, in Missouri,” hailing “a job well done” and claiming “monumental” damage to the facilities.

“The hits were hard and accurate. Great skill was shown by our military. Thank you!”